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Rains lash southern China as increasing rivers threaten more flooding

Days of torrential rain, flash floods and landslides throughout southern China have required authorities to enact emergency situation strategies, as swollen rivers threaten to overflow further, possibly disrupting the lives of millions.

On Thursday, Guangdong upgraded an emergency reaction strategy for disasters like landslides and flooding to the second-highest level, helping to coordinate and release resources throughout the flood-stricken province.

A number of other provinces have already triggered a Level-IV emergency situation reaction for flood control as this year's flooding season kicked into high gear.

China's flood control emergency reaction system has four levels, with Level-I being the most severe.

The annual flooding season started previously in China this year, as southern provinces fight with intense storms that have swept away bridges and destroyed low-rise homes, ravaged farming output and immersed many cities.

Heavy rain and landslides in China's seaside provinces of Guangdong and Fujian have currently eliminated a minimum of 9 people and left several individuals missing.

Authorities in Guilin, a major city in Guangxi in southwest China, raised a red flood warning signal, the greatest level, late on Wednesday when the water level of the Li River, which runs through the city, reached 3.61 metres above the caution line, China Daily reported on Thursday.

The water level at the river's hydrological station in Rongjiang town struck a record high, threatening homeowners' lives and homes along the river, the report said.

Guilin authorities urged departments, areas and beautiful areas to assist prevent and combat possible flooding in the coming days as water levels at major rivers continue to rise, according to state media.

Guilin Railway station officials suspended operations of some trains at various stations, and trains going through some lines will be postponed, according to a statement from its official Weibo social media account.

The main federal government in Beijing has earmarked 346 million yuan ($ 48.63 million) in disaster relief funds to help flood control and drought relief efforts, according to Xinhua news company.

Moderate to heavy rain is anticipated to begin again Friday through Monday in the center and lower reaches of the Yangtze River, the longest waterway in Asia, according to China's. Central Meteorological Observatory.

Several locations might see more torrential rain over the next. 2 weeks as a sticking around rain belt moves northward, according to. the National Meteorological Center, state media reported.

(source: Reuters)